Hope Bridge Day 1
Production has begun. Day 1 of Hope Bridge is in the books. When you shoot a feature, you try to start off with a simple day. The goal is to get off on the right foot. You want to build teamwork and see how people are going to work together. It’s all about finding a rhythm.
Our goal was to shoot 2 scenes which would translate into about 3 and a half minutes of screen time. First you want to stay on schedule. All I can say is mission accomplished; however, we did have our challenges. It rained and continued to rain throughout the day. Let me correct that. It actually poured.
That would have been fine if we had been shooting indoors. But, by chance, our first day was scheduled for exterior shots. Somehow, the crew made it work. In fact, our director, Joshua Overbay, sorta welcomed the rain. He felt that the rain created the mood and the emotional impact that he was looking to achieve. Maybe we got lucky or, perhaps, it was a divine intervention.
I asked Isaac Stambaugh, who is the unit production manager, what he thought about the first day. “It was pretty good. We overcame several obstacles. We accomplished everything we wanted to and then some. We got what we needed. This says something about the character of the crew. We dealt with equipment problems, rain, vehicles that wouldn’t start, and a camera that accidentally got locked up. Maybe, it’s not time to spike the football, but we certainly had several first downs.”
Hat’s off to the PAs who help to control traffic and had to stand out in the pouring rain for most of the day.
Hope Bridge - Day 2
With that in mind, day 2 of production was a full day lasting well into the night and ending at 3:00 a.m. We upped our game and shot six and a half minutes of screen time. I’m sure the crew was exhausted, but there was a sense of satisfaction in our continued progress of making a movie that we can be proud of and that will undoubtedly make an impact on culture.
Teresa Strebler is our production designer. Teresa and her team performed their magic by transforming the bar into a place that actually became a character in our film. It’s amazing watching them make the impossible possible.
Sunday is a day off, and I hope everybody gets some well-needed rest. There’s much more to come.
Hope Bridge - Day 4
Do
you ever wonder why they keep making the same movies over and over? Whether it’s
a government experiment gone wrong, which leads to a deadly virus that turns
people into flesh-eating zombies or a group of teenagers who venture into a
remote location only to be picked off by some deranged killer. Or perhaps you’ve
seen the latest home invasion movie. I’m sure most people have seen these types
of movies countless times. Perhaps, they ask themselves when is somebody going
to make a movie worth seeing.
Well,
that answer is Hope Bridge, a film currently being shot in and around
Lawrenceburg, KY. It’s thrilling to be making a movie, and I’m sure the cast and
crew would agree that it’s an added bonus to be involved with a movie that has
an opportunity to impact lives, a movie about something that matters.
Most
people who work in the movie business seldom get that opportunity. As I move
around and chat with folks, I get a sense of purpose and vision from everybody
involved in the production of this film. So thank you cast and crew for your
dedication in making a movie that matters.
Moving
on, today is our last day before four straight night shoots as in 6:30 p.m. to
6:30 a.m. So sleep is going to be in short supply. Today’s scenes mostly
involved Kevin Sorbo and Booboo Stewart. The location was primarily centered
around Lawrenceburg City Hall.
Sorbo
plays Eric in the film as a mentor and counselor to Stewart’s character Jackson.
Later in the week comes a dramatic scene at the bridge between Eric and Jackson.
More on that later.
As
I travel around the set, one thing that strikes me is how many people are
involved in making a movie. There are a lot of people we probably never think
about who perform vital roles. One area is craft. Stephanie Kruthaupt, a film
graduate from Eastern Michigan University, oversees craft operations. It’s her
job to feed and water the crew. She sees her role as vital and important to the
overall health of cast and crew. She says, “Dinner time is a time to chill out,
take a break from the stress, a bonding time.” Stephanie enjoys seeing a smile
on their faces. She realizes good food goes a long way in achieving good
production with effective output. Her view on craft is “You don’t think about it
until it’s not working. It’s an important job.”
Craft
is new to Stephanie. This is her first time. She’s having fun, and she wants to
be in the moment. She says that she’s got something special planned in the days
ahead. Her message to the crew is she encourages everyone to waste less so we
can have better food options as the production continues. That’s good advice,
indeed.
I
think everybody is going to find Hope Bridge refreshing because it’s original,
different, and absolutely dramatic. I see that as a winning combination. That’s
it for today. More to come.
Hope Bridge - Day 5
The
folks in this community have opened their arms and have welcomed the cast and
crew of Hope Bridge with an enthusiastic embrace. They have been great from the
Mayor’s office to the Police Department. Everyone has been on board. Nowhere is
that more true than with Robert Myles, who is Lawrenceburg’s City Attorney. He
sees the film as an opportunity for economic development for the region. In
fact, he’s hoping our film will be a catalyst for more productions to come to
his city. Hollywood is certainly welcome in the streets of Lawrenceburg.
Thanks
once again to the folks here in Lawrenceburg for you help and
support.
More
to come.
“It’s time to make the
donuts.” Those are the words uttered by our gaffer, Thomas Green, as he went off
to another day of working on the production of Hope Bridge. Making today’s
donuts once again took place in Lawrenceburg, KY at the Spencer House. We’ve
been there four straight days shooting in very confined spaces. Today featured a
total of 31 setups and a very ambitious schedule.
The trick is to
make the sun appear lower in the sky, which means you must have the effect of a
golden glow of light within your shot. There sure are a lot of things to think
about when you make a movie. Paying attention to detail is a must. And that
responsibility rests on the shoulders of Zack Brewer, who is the script
supervisor. Not only does Zack have to make sure that the actors are following
the script “to a tee”, but he also must keep an eye on continuity. I’m sure you
know what I’m talking about. Have you ever seen a movie where two actors are
having a discussion at the kitchen table. In the shot we can see a cup sitting
on the table. Then we have a cutaway. In the next shot you don’t see the cup
anymore. Somebody goofed. It’s Zack’s job to make sure that doesn’t happen on
Hope Bridge.
There are many
moving parts in the making of a motion picture. There’s one person who seems to
be everywhere but has no real role in the actual production of Hope Bridge. Her
name is Chelsea Babcock. Chelsea is a recent graduate of Asbury University and
has a degree in Media Communications. She is the BTS Production Director for
Hope Bridge. Chelsea has an important and vital role. It’s her task to capture
the behind-the-scenes footage or a better way to phrase it is The Making of
Hope Bridge. She roams around with a Canon 7D camera that’s capable of
capturing both high resolution video and photos.
Her work will
ultimately be used for the DVD, social media and the internet. The material will
also be used for marketing and promotion of the film. It is something everyone
appreciates when the film is finished; however, when the movie is being shot,
often people can see you as a nuisance or distraction. So Chelsea has had to
find her place and blend in to the background.
Chelsea says she
enjoys her role. This is her first time shooting behind-the-scenes footage. She
stated, “I like being around the action. Being on set. And I don’t have to deal
with the pressure of actually making the movie.” She went on to say, “My biggest
challenge is being there at the right time to capture those special
moments.”
More
to come
Finally after days
of shooting interior shots, we’ve moved our operations to the great outdoors. We
haven’t ventured too far though. We’re shooting in the driveway of the Spencer
House. If you don’t already know, the Spencer House has been our location for
the entire week.
We have only five
days to go. Next week, we’re going to be at multiple locations. I think
everybody will be looking forward to a change of scenery.
I know most of the
cast and crew have met David and Christy Eaton. And if you’re remotely familiar
with the themes of Hope Bridge, you realize they revolve around suicide and
mental illness. But here’s what you probably don’t know. There’s a deeper story
to why Hope Bridge became a reality in the first place.
For Dave and
Christy, the topic of suicide is real and personal. They have experienced it at
an intimate level. The Eatons have lived it. And they know and understand how
suicide impacts individuals, families, and the community. They wanted to make a
difference and help people to never have to experience the tragedy they faced.
Several years ago, Dave lost his first wife to suicide, the mother to three of
his children. It was devastating, to say the least.
They felt compelled
to start writing. After finishing the screenplay, they asked me to come on as a
producer. We spent the last year and a half going through multiple rewrites. In
January of this year, Cincinnati-based Rebel Pilgrim Productions entered the
picture. They took Christy and Dave’s vision and help to made it a reality. The
script was reworked, and finally we all felt we had a great story to share.
Dave and Christy
are great people. I admire their commitment. Hope Bridge has seen its ups and
down over the past two years. It’s been a bumpy road to say the least. However,
the Eatons have been determined to get this movie made. They’re passionate
people who believe Hope Bridge isn’t just another movie. It’s more than that. In
the next few days, I hope you get an opportunity to thank them for the
sacrifices they’ve made.
Hope Bridge - Day 6
When
the production schedule came out, everyone knew that Day 6 was going to be Hope
Bridge’s most challenging and ambitious day. Essentially, it’s “bridge day”.
Since the movie is called Hope Bridge, it’s obvious that a bridge plays a major
role in this film, not only from a physical perspective but, more importantly,
metaphorically.
The
scenes that take place on the bridge are some of the most important scenes in
the film. That’s why everybody in the cast and crew look forward to “bridge day”
with anticipation. There’s a sense of excitement and a sense of fear. Can we
pull this off and make it work?
Putting
it in perspective requires knowing a little bit about the back story. It’s been
a difficult process finding the right bridge and acquiring permission to use it.
A number of bridges were considered across the Kentucky River; but for one
reason or another none of them would work for our key scenes.
One
choice finally emerged at the last moment to save the day. A closed bridge that
hasn’t been used for years located near Camp Nelson turned out to be the perfect
choice. The bridge is located about 35 miles southeast of Lexington. It was the
job of Thomas Green, our gaffer, to make it work. Thomas’ job certainly wasn’t
going to be easy because of the remote location and the fact that the bridge has
no lights or electricity.
A
gaffer is responsible for electric and grip. Part of the job requires being both
an artist and a scientist. You have to know something about power loads and
consumption as well as the artistic look of different forms of light. I asked
Thomas how he felt about the rigging of the light fixtures on the bridge. He
said he was pleased with the results. He was able to achieve the vision that
Isaac Pletcher, Director of Photography, wanted represented on the
screen.
Thomas
is a recent film graduate from Regent University in Virginia. He knew that
“bridge day” or I should say” bridge night” would be difficult because all of
the scenes are shot in the "dark of night" and in a very remote location. It’s
been challenging. If you ask me, he and his crew are pulling off
miracles.
One
of the other things you have to consider is safety. Having 50 people running
around in the dark can lead to problems. As a precaution, we had a rescue boat
stationed on the river just in case of an emergency. The producers just want
everybody to be safe and secure.
Now
that Day 6 is in the books, everyone’s breathing a sigh of relief and
experiencing a sense of accomplishment. We’re feeling good as we head into the
last two-thirds of the production.
More
to come.
Hope Bridge - Day 7
Today
featured more night scenes. We also moved back to Lawrenceburg from Camp Nelson
where we shot previous night scenes at a closed bridge over the Kentucky river.
A
few days ago one of the crew members made a comment that sorta stuck with me. He
said Hope Bridge feels like a road movie. I have to agree. We are moving around
a lot. Although we may not be making Rain Man, a film that featured a road trip
from Cincinnati to Los Angeles, our main character, Jackson, played by Booboo
Stewart, is undoubtedly on an emotional and spiritual journey.
Part
of the reason why it feels like a road movie is because a number of scenes take
place in a traveling vehicle which, I might add, is not easy to shoot. Last
night during the wee hours of the morning, Jackson and Sophie, played by Rebecca
Robles, drove around the empty streets of Lawrenceburg and vicinity; however,
they really were not driving. The crew spent several hours rigging their vehicle
on an auto transport. The vehicle was then towed with a camera mounted on the
side of the vehicle. All of this is done for safety purposes. The actors don’t
need to concentrate on driving. After all, we want them to concentrate on a good
performance.
Preparing
the car also means hiding lighting sources so the lighting seems natural. As I
said, it takes a lot of time and effort to make this work.
Earlier
in the evening before the driving scene, cast and crew descended on Stoneridge
Street to the surprise of the local residents. It was a last minute change. Like
everybody in Lawrenceburg, the residents welcomed us with open arms.
Over
at Betty White’s house across from our shooting location, it seems like the
entire neighhood gathered to watch the action. Betty said it was exciting to see
a film crew. She never imagined it would ever happen on her street. All the
neighbors seemed to enjoy themselves as a spontaneous party broke out. After the
scene was completed, several of the residents joined Booboo Steward and crew for
a picture-taking session. To tell you the truth, everybody on this film is
having too much fun.
Meantime,
back at the production office, the production assistants or PAs had some
downtime after a very hard week on the job. They took a much-needed break with a
few games, fellowship and, of course, a song or two.
Tomorrow
night is another night shoot before our day off. Hopefully, everybody can get
some much-needed rest on Sunday.
More
to come.
Hope Bridge - Day 8
We’ve
finally reached week’s end. After four consecutive nights of shooting, I think
everyone in the cast and crew are ready for a little
downtime.
Although
it’s been exhausting, we’ve accomplished a lot over the last few nights. Some of
the most significant and complex scenes are now in our rear view mirror. A big
thank you to everyone. You are making Hope Bridge a roaring success. Because of
your efforts and sacrifice, I have no doubt lives will be impacted and changed
by this film.
Saturday
was an unusual day because we had two set-ups that required a company move from
one location to another. We started at a diner on US-68 near Wilmore, KY.
Although it was only a few shots, it kept us busy for nearly four hours. We’re
averaging about five pages per day. That’s moving at a fast clip compared to a
typical studio film.
We
have a great team that knows how to work together and to move quickly. It really
shows what teamwork can accomplish. As the sun was going down, the cast and crew
moved back to Camp Nelson to shoot more driving scenes around Lancaster, KY.
We
have about 50 people working with the crew on this film. I’m sure you’re
probably wondering what all these people do. If you’ve ever stayed in a movie
theater after the film has finished, you probably realize that the credits seem
to go on forever. There are some strange titles like gaffer, key grip, best boy,
and foley. They’re all important positions that are critical to the success of
any film. There are a couple positions I want to highlight.
The
First Assistant Director is the backbone of any production, and we have a great
one in Joe Battaglia. I have to tell you, he seems like the hardest working guy
on the set. That’s not taking anything away from the other crew members. Joe is
in constant motion and never seems to stop because everything really depends on
his ability to manage and supervise every detail.
The
Director often gets the credit, but it’s the First Assistant Director who gets
the job done. Joe understands a principle that is crucial to any successful
production which is how to be firm but polite. Being the First Assistant
Director, you can come off as being bossy and pushy. After all, you have to tell
people where to go and what to do. Joe sets the right tone and is respectful to
everyone. That’s the way it ought to be, and we’re lucky to have
him.
I
love to highlight positions that often get overlooked. No movie would ever get
made without “the all important production assistants or PAs”. Our PAs are
amazing. They are some of the hardest working people I have ever seen.
What
does a production assistant do, you ask. Everything. They are problem solvers
and carry out every task imaginable. For example, take Hudson Barry, our Key Set
PA. Hudson had the thankless duty of being our RV wrangler. In other words, it
was his responsibility for driving and maintaining our recreational vehicles.
The only problem is one of our RVs was a lemon. It wouldn’t start. It blew (or
shredded) a tire out on US-60. Hudson was stranded for several hours before help
arrived. All in a day’s work. And you thought movie making was glamorous.
Hudson
also had the task of controlling traffic on the first day. He stood in
torrential rain all day. A big thank you to Hudson and to all the other
production assistants for your dedication.
More
to come.
Hope Bridge - Day 10
Cast and crew now
find themselves back in Lawrenceburg, KY for six consecutive days of shooting at
the Spencer House. Most of the shots are interior, featuring the lead character
Jackson, played by Booboo Stewart, along with his mom Robin(Sam Sorbo) and
little sister Lillie (Sage Stewart .
It’s tight quarters
to say the least. It’s a real house with a real family that we’re using to shoot
a large portion of our film. The family actually had to move out to make room
for our production. Can you imagine having fifty strangers running around your
house for six days? It’s quite a scene.
The Director,
Joshua Overbay, wanted realism for Hope Bridge. That’s why he decided not to
shoot on a sound stage and opted for a real location. It does present challenges
shooting in such a confined space. All the walls and hallways are real. You
especially feel claustrophobic after 10 hours of shooting. You sorta feel like
the walls are closing in.
With temperatures
rising into the 90’s along with the humidity, both cast and crew certainly
experienced a great deal of discomfort. There’s little to no air, and during
takes all fans have to be turned off.
There’s also the
issue of light to deal with. Light coming from the outside has to be blacked out
in order to create a realistic and natural look. There’s also the difficulty of
staying on schedule. Each week presents its own unique set of challenges. And
this week is no different. We’re going to have to deal with the heat index
reaching into the 100 hundreds.
If you’ve never
been on a movie set, it’s quite a sight to behold. I really can’t emphasize just
how chaotic it feels. Another thing I can’t help but notice is the unique
language the crew uses to communicate with each other. Of course, we’re familiar
with words like action, cut or print. But have you ever heard the expressions
hotpoints and martini? Hotpoints is called out when a crew member is carrying a
light, a ladder, or any other large item. It’s a way of telling people to get
out of the way and make a clear pathway. When time is essential in setting up a
shot, every minute counts. Another favorite phrase is martini. When the Director
calls martini, it means it’s the last shot of the day.
I also had a chance
today to talk with Christy and David Eaton. They are the originators and the
visionaries of Hope Bridge. Their efforts have made this production possible.
Christy said, “After ten days it’s starting to feel real. This is really
happening. All of these people are breathing life into the
vision.”
Thanks Christy and
Dave for all or your hard work and dedication. When you think about it, there
are a lot of people who talk about making a movie or perhaps even write a
script, but it is so rare when it actually comes true. Their journey is an
amazing story.
More to
come.
Hope Bridge - Day 11
The production of
Hope Bridge is now entering the home stretch with only seven days left. Wow!
It’s hard to believe that it’s going to be over soon. It feels like we just
started yesterday. When you’re having fun, time does
fly.
Today featured more
interiors at the Spencer House in Lawrenceburg, KY. In our movie, this is the
home of our lead character, Jackson, and his family. The one thing that struck
me today is the enormous focus an actor must have in order to achieve a great
performance. Usually when we watch movies, we don’t think about the fact that
there are probably dozens of people watching on set.
In the case of Hope
Bridge, there were 20 people watching a scene that took place between Jackson
(BooBoo Steward) and Robin (Sam Sorbo). The scene occur in the kitchen as the
crew watch from the dining room. In the living room, there were probably 15
interns working on their PCs. I can see how it can be very distracting for an
actor. It does require focus, no question about it. Somehow you have to shut
everything out, stay in character, and remain focused on the task at hand. I
think good actors are capable of transcending what is obviously not real and
turning it into a something that becomes in their minds a reality.
You may not realize
this, but the typical Hollywood feature has an average budget of over $100
million. Our budget for Hope Bridge is nowhere near that figure. We’re not even
in the same universe. Today, I had a chance to talk to Joshua Overbay, Director
of Hope Bridge. I asked him about the challenges of shooting a low-budget
independent feature.
Josh said that one
of his biggest concerns is the schedule. Trying to shoot a 90 page script in 18
days is practically impossible. Although he is pleased with the results so far,
the only way it’s been possible is because of a lot of hard work and dedication
of the crew.
One factor that
helped meet the demands of the schedule is Josh’s relationship with Thomas
Green, the film’s gaffer, and Isaac Pletcher, the Director of Photography. The
three of them went to film school together at Regent University in Virginia
Beach, Va. The three have worked together on multiple projects and have a good
working relationship. In fact, Joshua and Isaac formed their own production
company and plan on making feature movies together. It’s because they know each
other so well that they can accomplish the impossible and make the schedule
work.
Joshua says they
are averaging over 26 setups per day. In “film speak”, the term is used any time
you have to physically move the camera, which usually means that you have to
re-light the scene, which burns up valuable time. Because they anticipate each
other’s moves perfectly, Hope Bridge, thus far, has achieved solid production
values. And this is really the key for low-budget films.
Although we may not
have the money the big boys have, we want our film to look just as good. Trust
me. It can be done, but it does require a certain level of sacrifice and
commitment. For example, the department heads for departments such as camera,
production design, wardrobe, and electric and grip have their own budgets. They
have to find a way to make their dollars do more, so they must become creative.
In the case of the Art Department, they often found their props at yard sales,
Craig’s List, or E-bay.
And, sometimes, you
just have to become a deal maker and offer people a piece of the movie. Location
Manager, Daniel Bowman, had to find locations where property or business owners
were willing to take less money than would be normally expected. It’s all about
stretching a dollar as far as it will go.
A few years ago,
I’m not sure we could have made this movie—certainly not at this budget level.
We’re shooting Hope Bridge on a Canon C-300, which is a cinematic digital
camera. Today, even Hollywood films are being shot in the digital format.
Compared to shooting on 35mm film, the costs saving with a digital camera are
astounding. One of the other advantages with Canon C-300 is the fact that it
produces outstanding images in low light, which translates into using less
lights and setup time.
And, finally, where
would we be without Asbury University? Until recently, there were only a few
good film schools in the country. Now, film programs have exploded. So there’s a
whole lot more people who know film and are good at it. That includes Asbury
University which has an excellent program. The production assistant and the crew
working on our film are proof of that.
When you put it all
together, Hope Bridge, as a low-budget, independent feature, has an opportunity
to compete with, I believe, films that have budgets in the tens of millions of
dollars.
More to
come.
Hope Bridge - Day 12
Our first shot of
the day started at 2:00 p.m. In the script, however, the scene is placed at 6:00
p.m.
The lighting is
just one of many issues that makes it challenging to "make the donuts" today. I
overheard Isaac Pletcher, Director of Photography, commenting, “If you ask me
years from now, I won’t be able to tell you how we pulled today off.” It seems
like every day on the set of Hope Bridge miracles are becoming common place. It
took a lot of complicated lighting to make 2:00 p.m. look like 6:00
p.m.
Like many of the
other crew members working on Hope Bridge, she will also be going her separate
way at the end of the movie. Chelsea will be heading back to her native
Minnesota to look for work. She hopes to land a job as an editor. We wish
success for her and for all of the cast and crew that have sacrificed so much
and have worked so hard in making Hope Bridge a reality.
Hope Bridge - Day 13
It’s been a hot
week here in Lawrenceburg, KY. Humidity levels have been off the chart. As a
result, it’s created a lot of discomfort for the cast and crew. The good news is
tomorrow we’re shooting over night, and there is talk of a cold front coming in
to cool things off on Sunday. Good news indeed.
The crew is already
dreading the end. The clock is running down. There’s been a sense of community
and comradary on the set of Hope Bridge. After you work together for four weeks,
you start to bond together as a team. I suspect friendships have been developed
that might very well last a lifetime. Twenty years from now, most people
couldn’t tell you what they did on any given day; however, working on a project
like Hope Bridge is something you will never forget. Working on their first
movie for some is something people seem to remember with fondness. As I said, it
will be about the relationships that are formed that will last and be
cherished.
I met Dave and
Christy in December 2011. They had been working on a screenplay for over six
months. In fact, it was the first time they had ever attempted to write
anything. No they hadn’t suddenly gone Hollywood or become starstruck. Dave and
Christy are ordinary people living an ordinary life, raising six children in
Milford, OH. So why would anybody make a movie about suicide? It’s not exactly a
popular topic. Neither is it the type of subject material that would guarantee a
box office hit.
But that’s not
where the story ended. Later on, Dave and Christy had to deal with close friends
who had a son that took his own life. Dave and Christy searched their hearts and
asked what they could do to keep it from happening again. Suicide has become the
third leading cause of death for young adults. As they looked for answers, they
felt God tugging on their hearts to, of all things, make a feature film.
I asked Dave and
Christy how they felt about the new screenplay. They said, “Although the
circumstance and situations have changed from the original script, we feel that
the spirit and vision has remained the same. We got into this because we wanted
to save lives. And with this movie, we feel it’s possible. Our desire was to
shed light on the issue of suicide. It’s something that people don’t want to
talk about. There’s a sense of shame that’s often associated with the topic with
those who have gone through it.”
More to
come.
It’s official. At 8:00
p.m. on Thursday, July 25, 2013, the production of Hope Bridge came to an end.
IT’S A WRAP!
After the gas
station scene, the cast and crew broke for lunch. It was starting to sink in.
This was our final day and our final lunch together. By midafternoon, part of
the cast and crew shot a few scenes with our Jeep Cherokee crossing the
Lawrenceburg Bridge over the Kentucky River. The remaining crew started cleaning
out our production office on Main Street.
After a few takes,
the crowd grew increasingly larger as several neighbors came out to watch the
action. We knew the end was only minutes away. The final shot ran for three
minutes as Sophe and Jackson entered the house. All that remained was our Jeep
Cherokee over which would role Hope Bridge's end credits.
I asked a few crew
members how they felt about the conclusion of Hope Bridge. Hudson Barry, Key Set
Production Assistant, said, “I feel depressed, but I am excited to move on to
the next thing.” Jennifer Silver, Second Assistant Director, told me, “It won’t
hit me until a couple of days later. It’s sort of a bittersweet feeling. A lot
of these people I’ve worked with I won’t see again.” As for Thomas Green, our
gaffer, who’s been on a number of these types of productions said, “Afterwards
it always feels like a funeral.”
David Eaton, one of
our producers and visionaries, told me this. “It’s going to be hard to go back
to my day job to find anything meaningful. It will be sad. It was awesome to see
God’s work taking place.” Many others felt the same. Production Designer,
Theresa Strebeler, stated, “It seems like we just started, but it also feels
like we’ve been going on forever. Now I’m going to have to start thinking about
what the next job is going to be.”
But, perhaps, Anna
Phillips, Second Second Assistant Director, summed it up best. “I am sad. I will
not see a lot of these people again. I’m going back to school for my senior
year. But a lot of the people that I went to school with and worked on this film
together with will be gone.” Anna’s right. After today, everybody will be going
their separate ways. And the truth is many of the people who have worked
together for the past month may never see each other again.
What comes next for
Hope Bridge? There is still a lot of work ahead. The film must be edited,
scored, and color graded. That process can take up to a year. But, in the
meantime, Rebel Pilgrim Productions will be releasing A Strange Brand of
Happy in September in a theater near you.
Hope Bridge - Day 14
It’s a wrap! No,
not the movie. That comes next week. After six straight days filming at the
Spencer House, here in Lawrenceburg, KY, it’s time to call this location a wrap.
Today, the crew is
preparing for an overnight shoot. Once again, it’s time for the old Jeep
Cherokee to make its way onto the streets Lawrenceburg and the immediate
surrounding area.
Sophie, who is the
main female character in our film, affectionately calls her ride Sally. Our crew
has worked hard to outfit and rig Sally with a spider mount, which is crucial in
order to support our camera. Sally is then placed on an auto transport and then
towed. As I said it’s a lot of work to get this right. It’s also a very
time-consuming process; however, it is worth the effort because we are getting
great shots with this technique. After all, the bottom line is “it’s all about
making a great movie”.
Before I go any
further, I want to write a disclaimer—not that anybody is complaining about
working on the film or complaining about our tight schedule. I just thought you
might like to know the type of sacrifice everyone is making. The days have been
long. Most people working on Hope Bridge put in between 12 to 14 hours each day.
In addition, they also have to drive 45 minutes to their hotel or dorm. And
remember, they have to do this for six consecutive days before getting one day
off. When you’re making a movie, it literally consumes every moment of your day.
You’re fortunate to get a little rest or sleep before you have to do it all over
again.
This crew is
amazing. I haven’t heard one word of complaining. It sure helps that practically
everyone in the production of Hope Bridge is under the age of 25. Thank goodness
for youth and energy.
I’ve been asked why
our schedule is so tight. Why is it only an 18-day shoot? You may not realize
this but most typical studio films have a production schedule ranging from 36 to
120 days. What a luxury!
Hope Bridge is no
different than any other low-budget, independent film. There’s nothing magical
about 18 days. Our budget would only allow us to shoot longer than 18 days. Each
day is expensive to be in production. You burn through money at an unbelievable
rate. You have to pay for equipment rental, food, hotels, actors, props, and
locations—just to name a few. Sure, it would have been nice to have a few extra
days. But our cast and crew believe in this project and are willing to make the
necessary sacrifices.
There’s really no
magic about filmmaking. It all comes down to hard work and a willingness to do
whatever you have to do to get the job done. You might ask how we make this
18-day schedule work. That job belongs to Isaac Stambaugh, who is our Unit
Production Manager. It’s one of the most important jobs on set. Sometimes in the
industry it’s referred to as a Line Producer or a Director of Production.
Isaac’s job is to
come up with a production schedule which serves as the blueprint or bible for
Hope Bridge. Think of Isaac as a general moving his pieces around the board. He
has to group actors, equipment, vehicles, locations and props in such a way as
to utilize their effectiveness. But, more importantly, they have to be
cost-effective. A production schedule tells you what is going to happen each
day, which scenes will be shot, how long they will take, and how many pages will
be produced. For example, in our production schedule, six days were planned at
one location, the Spencer House. We don’t shoot at the Spencer House and then
shoot somewhere else and then come back to the Spencer House. That wouldn’t make
any sense. Obviously, that means that the scenes are shot out of sequence. But
it’s the only way to efficiently maximize our resources and stay in budget.
Another example is
Kevin Sabo who played the counselor. He had only four days of work in the
script; therefore, you would want a schedule having him working four consecutive
days. It would make no sense to have an actor sitting around doing nothing.
Isaac has pulled
off a miracle and made our schedule work. A good Unit Production Manager has to
know just about everything concerning the production cycle in order to make
everything work.
I asked Isaac how
he thought things were going. “We’re on budget, and we’re on time, but that
could change in the next hour. We’ve got usable footage. But next week we have a
couple of big days on Tuesday and Wednesday. We’re not home yet.” It’s Isaac’s
job to worry. In fact, if Isaac’s not worried, he’s worried about not being
worried. Keep up the good work Isaac. You’ve gotten us this
far.
More to
come.
Hope Bridge - Day 16
Back to high
school. That’s right. The cast and crew of Hope Bridge returned to high school
today, to shot a number of key
scenes at a local school here in Lawrenceburg, KY. This was perhaps our
biggest production day so far. We had over 100 extras on set. It required a
great deal of logistics and management to keep the production on schedule. As I
said, it
was a big day.
The film industry
calls extras "background actors". When we watch movies, there are a lot of
things we don’t think about that give movies a sense of realism and
plausibility. For example the things that are happening in the background during
a scene. How boring it would be to see two actors having a discussion on a
street corner without people walking in and out of the frame.
We also shot our
big action scene today. It’s the first time we used a real stunt coordinator.
Staging a fight scene may seem easy, but it’s not. It has to look real without
people getting hurt. In this case it really looked like someone was getting
beaten badly, even to the extent of spitting out blood. Notice I said “it looked
like”.
We were fortunate
to have veteran stunt coordinator, Nils Stewart, who has over
100 film credits, working on Hope Bridge. He helped to make the scene look like
the real deal. It’s hard to believe it took six hours to shoot the fight scene
that will only run no more than about a minute and a half in the movie. And you
thought making a movie was easy.
And what about the
100 high schoolers who showed up as extras? There’s no guarantee that any of
them will make the final cut of the film. Why would they give up a perfectly
good summer day to wait around for hours? Kera from Corbin, KY said she did it
for the experience. She wants to work in the film business some day. Kim from
Harrisburg, KY is majoring in theater. She found it to be interesting and fun.
And Laura said she couldn’t believe how much went into shooting just one scene.
Everybody
I talked to was positive. It was fun playing Hollywood for a day. However, I did
talk to a number of students like Kera who are looking into the film and media
industry as a career. Thank you guys for coming out and being part of our movie.
Without you, our high school scenes would not of been a success. You brought life and
energy into today’s production.
With so many people
on set today, the crew really had to step up their game. Our plan worked.
Everyone knew where they needed to be and when to be there. When you pull off a
day like today, there’s a real sense of satisfaction.
I had a chance to
chat with Isaac Pletcher, Director of Photography. Isaac is an interesting
person to talk to. You might be wondering what a director of photography
actually does. It’s obviously a very crucial role. A DP is responsible for the
visual look of the film. You have to understand lighting, lenses, focal lengths
and F-stops.
Isaac gradated with
a film degree from Regent University. I asked him why he wanted to be a
cinematographer. He said, “When I started at Regent, I had every intention of
being a director, I discovered I really didn’t enjoy it. I fell in love with
cinematography because I enjoy the creative aspect. It’s challenging to take the
vision of the director and make it a reality.”
I wanted to know
about Isaac’s lighting style and how it applied to Hope Bridge. He stated, “Like
Josh our director, I primarily like to work with natural lighting if possible.
Instead of using artificial lights, I’d rather redirect existing light to the
subject. It’s been my approach for Hope Bridge. With our budgetary limits,
natural light was our best option.” Isaac went on to say that he’s pleased with
the results he has achieved with Hope Bridge. With the film’s subject material,
the lighting style he chose has helped to create a more atmospheric mood, which
helps push the story forward.
Only two days to go
with more to come.
Hope Bridge - Day 17
When you are a
producer, you get to do a lot of fun and interesting things. Today, I had the
privilege of taking Tantoo Cardinal from her hotel to the set of Hope Bridge.
Ms. Cardinal plays the role of Lana, a long lost grandmother of our lead
character, Jackson (BooBoo Stewart). Tantoo Cardinal is a veteran actor, who has
an impressive resume of film credits. She’s been featured in Dances with Wolves,
Legends of the Fall, and, in one of my personal favorites, Smoke Signals.
Ms. Cardinal is
from Canada’s First Nation. As we drove out to the set, she shared her personal
experiences about being in the movies. It was really a treat to hear her share
her story as we drove along the backroads of Kentucky. Her passion for film was
very obvious. She also has a love and respect for the land. In recent years, she
has directed her attention toward environmental issues and has become a
spokesperson for the movement.
I couldn’t help but
wonder what would draw her to come to Kentucky and be part of a low-budget,
independent film. After all, she has never been here before and has not worked
with anyone on the set of Hope Bridge. She said she was drawn to the character
of Lana. It’s obviously a part she has played before. Without giving away too
much of our story or plot, her character helped to bring healing and restoration
to Jackson.
Watching her work
was a pleasure. She obviously knows how to get into character and find the right
mood. On the way back to the hotel, we had an opportunity to talk about today's
work, and I asked her how she does that. She came in for only one day and had no
opportunity to run lines with the other actors but somehow, magically, she finds
the character. She said, “It’s a process. You develop techniques over time. You
just kind of go into a place, and you find it.” Hope Bridge is fortunate in
having actors like Tan too Cardinal, Kevin Sorbo, and Booboo Jackson. A lot of
Hollywood films don’t have the impressive cast our little independent feature
offers.
Here on Day 17, we
shot at Robert Myles’ farmhouse in Shelby County. Ky. Robert is the city
attorney for Lawrenceburg, KY. This guy deserves a medal. He has really helped
make the production of Hope Bridge go smoothly. He knows everybody in
Lawrenceburg and Anderson County. We shot most of our film in areas where
Robert knows people in the community. Whenever we needed something to happen, he
made it happen.
This farm was the
perfect backdrop to serve as Lana’s farmhouse in Tennessee. It is extremely
picturesque with rolling hills and plenty of cows. Hollywood couldn’t have
scripted this any better. It’s without a doubt the most remote location we have
shot at so far. If you want to know where the middle of nowhere is, we found it.
Robert was so
gracious in letting us take over his house for the entire day. We shot a number
of scenes both inside and outside of his house, which happens to have been built
in 1820. Our thanks to Mr. Myles for all of his assistance and
support.
One of the things I
believe will make Hope Bridge a great movie is we have found “killer” locations.
Every one of them has been a home run. I had said early on that, in my opinion,
Hope Bridge is a “road movie”. That certainly has turned out to be true. That’s
why our locations needed to be spot on.
I can’t believe I’m
saying this, but tomorrow is the last day of the movie shoot. So
far, we’ve been on time and on budget. We’ve captured every shot we needed. I’ve
checked with the Director, the Line Producer, and the Director of Photography.
They are all pleased with the results.
To tell you the
truth, most movies at this point could not say that. People are getting along.
There’s been no personal conflict or any problems of any sort. I think it’s
something everyone can be proud of. The cast and crew have done their job and
have exhibited a “can do” attitude. Some people might accuse me of being overly
positive. I’m not going to tell you that everything has been perfect; however,
the positives have just been overwhelming and have outweighed the
negatives.
More to
come.
Hope Bridge Day 18—it’s a Wrap
But, before we get
to that, let’s go over how Day 18 played out. The cast and crew moved back to
Lawrenceburg for our final day. We started shooting early at Smith’s Gas and
Grocery near Lawrenceburg, Ky. I know this is sounding like a broken record by
now, but today’s shots featured our famous Jeep Cherokee, along with our main
characters Jackson (Booboo Stewart) and Sophie (Rebeca Robles) .
Shortly before 4:00
p.m., we closed the production office for the last time. I got the feeling that
people were feeling a little sad when we locked the doors. By 5:00 p.m.,
everybody was together for our final scene, which was to take place on a
residential street in Lawrenceburg. What made the final scene so special is that
it actually is the final scene in the movie. It seemed only fitting. It was an
exterior shot with Jackson and Sophie driving her Jeep Cherokee up a street and
parking outside a house.
Soon our director,
Josh Overbay, would utter the final words.” It’s a picture wrap for Hope
Bridge.” With that it was truly over.
Joe Battaglia,
First Assistant Director, offered these comments. “It sure feels like a lot of
stress has been lifted off of my shoulders.” Joe was like a lot of people on the
production of Hope Bridge. He worked over 80 hours per week. I’m sure you can
imagine what kind of stress that can cause. We all realized that everything was
riding on these 18 days. There was no room for error. It seemed to be a common
theme that was on everyone’s mind that finally the stress was over and that
there would be a chance to get some rest. And, I might add, some well-deserved
rest at that.
Craft Coordinator,
Stephanie Kruthaupt, had an interesting comment. “It felt like we were going to
war together. It was a shared experience, and, in the end, I found myself
hugging people that I had not connected with during the
production.”
Hope Bridge was a
shared experience that nobody will soon forget. For now there is a wrap party on
Friday night to look forward to.
Well, no more to
come. No more updates. No more stories. You’ll just have to go see the movie in
September 2014.
